


we could be heros, me and you

by Springoffanfiction



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Battle, Character Death, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Major Character Injury, Nonbinary Pidge | Katie Holt, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:41:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27532441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Springoffanfiction/pseuds/Springoffanfiction
Summary: Keith didn't want to die. Not because he had a particular love for himself, exactly, but he knew how much it would hurt those around him. But as he felt the seeping wound under his hand... he gave in to despair.~-~-~Keith and Lance had been dating for a few months now. Happily, as soulmates. Sure, life in space was treachorus. But they were young! They weren't about to die, obviously.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	we could be heros, me and you

**Author's Note:**

> tw//death, battle, injury

Lance had decided he had really bad taste in a soulmate. Because who the fuck has a mullet nowadays? But also... Keith lowkey rocked the mullet look. So maybe his taste wasn't completely screwed.

On his spine he had the words: "I'm sorry I wasn't stronger," in scrawled slanted script. And on Keith's shoulder, he had the words: "No, please, god no," in perfectly neat print. Which was a bit worrying. Because if those were their last words to eachother, it means it probably happens in a battle. And they were kinda in a war right about then. A big war, against Zarkon.

But they were still kids. Everything would be fine, they'd win the war, and probably die in a car crash or something mundane after they were back on Earth and had lived a long life together. Right...?

Right. 

"Hey Mullet!" Lance yelled, waving with a goofy grin on his face- as per usual. Keith rolled his eyes opening his arms to catch the flying blue paladin in his arms, who wrapped himself onto the other with lanky limbs. 

"Hi, you idiot," Keith respnded quickly pecking the other's lips with a kiss. Lance beamed, hopping down. "How the fuck do you have this much energy at like 8 am anyway? You don't even drink caffine!"

Lance stuck his tongue out. "Wouldn't you love to know," he added with a wink. 

They continued to bicker as they walked towards the control room, where everyone else was waiting. Pidge was on their computer already, glasses reflecting the whirring lines of code. Hunk was looking at something with Coran and Allura, and Shiro was sitting, fiddling with his prosthetic arm. Lance bounded over to Hunk and Keith sat next to his brother. No, they weren't acutally brothers, but it felt like it to the two of them. 

All was calm, different conversations being carried out. 

On the topic of soulmates, Hunk and Shiro had also met theirs. Allura and Coran didn't have soulmates, because Alteans had mates and some weird rituals instead. Hunk and Shay were excited to start a life after the war, somewhere in space. Shiro and Adam wanted to return to the Garrison and teach together. Pidge hadn't met their soulmate yet, and liked to pretend they didn't give a shit about it. Even they were secretly excited though. All in all, everyone was done with the war. 

Over it. 

But the war wasn't over yet, unfortunately. A point that was made quite clear as a laser slammed into the castle defenses. 

"How- How did they not show up on the radar???" Coran panicked, pressing buttons to strengthen the barrier. 

Allura ran up to the controls, putting her hands on the posts and yelling, "GO! Form Voltron!"

Keith sighed as he ran towards his lion. "This early in the morning? Seriously?"

"C'mon, I know you. You never back down from a challenge or a fight," Lance teased back. The two shared a devious grin before going their seperate ways. 

Life is a strange thing. It's this huge, forein concept. You don't know how it happens, but it can all be explained with science. But there are parts that even science can't explain. The tie between two soulmates, for instance. It couldn't be science-d away. It was something so visceral and raw, and when one died and the other lived, it's unbearable. The feeling that you had everything in your grasp, you had every bit of pleasure you could ever ask for _right there._ It was like holding the world in your hands. 

Lance hopped in his lion, already suited up. He joined up with the other lions, and they swirled together into Voltron. They were a cohesive unit, an unbreakable-

Right after landing their first attack, a huge sword blow to the ship in front of them, a huge beam slammed right into Voltron's chest. The lions all went flying in different directions. "It's alright! Regroup and attack seperatly, we'll confuse their fire!" Shiro comanded from the Black Lion.

The fighting lasted for hours. That one ship- that one ship had so much power. Finally Keith and Pidge were able to get onto the ship, infiltrating it and racing towards the control center to shut the goddamn thing off. Keith was doing absolutely fine, not a worry crossing his mind. He had been in the Blade of Mamora. He trained for hours and hours on end. Until he had collapsed or passed out. He could easily take a few Galra on a small ship down. 

Pidge was guarding his back and hacking into the systems from the panels they accessed. Soon enough the were at the big doors, leading to the command central. Keith shoved his sword in the crack between the doors, shoving them open. They slammed apart, but before Keith could react, laserfire was being fired through the newly-made gap. 

He grabbed Pidge and dove to the side, firing in return. Pidge got their lasso thing and shield ready, Keith his sword and shield, and they ran in.

Keith felt like he was on fire. Every inch of his body was simmering with adrenaline. He movements were so presise, he was beheading robots and aliens left and right without missing once. Everything was so sharp, so clear. Dangerously clear.

He could see every possibility, he could feel everything- except the gaping hole in his side. Somehow, despite everything, all his training, he didn't fucking notice. How do you not notice getting shot? It wasn't until all the robots and aliens were gone that he stood still for a second. He swayed from side to side, furrowing his brow. His side felt warm and sticky...?

Glancing down, he saw the charred flesh and seeping blood. "Huh, that's not good," he slurred, words tumbling about like drunk ballerinas. 

Pidge looked over from their place at the control panel (which they had succesfully hacked and shut down), and promptly cursed. 

Over the coms, they shouted "Keith's been badly injured. Send in someone, now!"

Coming to enough to realize what was happening, Keith got on the intercoms too. "No, I'm fine. I'll help get Pidge back to the ship, I can still fight! You can count on me."

"Wait Keith babe-" Keith disconnected his coms, using his sword as a cane as he quickly slumped out of the room, Pidge following after a second of frantic chatting on the coms. 

On the way they ran into a Galra machine. Keith leaped into battle instinctively, sluggishly fighting. He ended up stabbing his sword through the Galran's neck, but not before getting slammed into a wall. 

He didn't really feel that either. It was more of a throbbing in his skull, making his thoughts fuzzy and warm. 

They made it back to Pidge's lion, who sped towards the castle, where everyone was waiting. 

Keith didn't want to die. Not because he had a particular love for himself, exactly, but he knew how much it would hurt those around him. But as he felt the seeping wound under his hand... he gave in to despair.

He felt like he was flying. It was a euphoric, painless thing. Like everything was going to be alright if he just believed that everything was going to be alright. Liike dreams could come true and he and Lance were kissing and his dad wasn't dead and his mom was there and-

He passed out. 

~-~

Lance screamed and threw up when he saw Keith's body. "Omigod he's dead what the fuck no what- how- NO THIS CAN'T FUCKING BE HAPPENING!!!"

"He's not dead yet, we need to get him in a healing pod, quick."

Oh right. Because they were soulmates, and hadn't said a word to eachother. And not those words either. Maybe Keith was going to be find and everyone would live and-

Lance didn't leave the Keith's side for the 4 days he spent in the healing pod. After that he didn't leave the hospital bed that Keith laid on for 7 days without waking. He was asleep when Keith woke up. He had barely eaten, barely slept, and hadn't showered. 

"You look a right mess," a raspy voice said. 

"You're alive!!!!!" Lance practically screamed. 

"Not for long."

He froze. "Wha-what do you mean? You woke up! Everything's fine and we're going to be fine and live forever and no you are not dying!"

Keith smiled sadly. "I was going to die a few days ago, actually. I could feel it, like a choice. I could choose to slip away. I was going to do it, get away from the pain." Lance was crying now. "But I didn't. I stayed, so I could see your face one more time. And I have! And you have a very nice face, in case I haven't said that enough."

"No, I refuse to fucking believe this."

He was angry with himself. Dying from a laser shot wound? During a small-scale battle? It sounded fucking pathetic, and he hated himself for it. He hated himself for leaving Lance behind.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stay awake longer, Lance. I'm sorry I couldn't fight better, or protect you from everything."

"I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough."

"NO- PLEASE, GOD NO-"

Death is a strange thing. 

**Author's Note:**

> love yall, stay safe <3 
> 
> (This is kinda badly written, sorry- it was rushed)


End file.
